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Friday, June 27, 2014

It's Your Right To Chant CM Punk If You Want Too!

Paul Heyman was on Chris Jericho’s Podcast and it was recorded quite awhile ago and offered some interesting insights into CM Punk’s departure from the WWE. Heyman stated when he was asked if he was surprised when CM Punk left he said that Punk had been struggling for about year. So, it would not have surprised him if at any point in that year leading up to his leaving after the Royal Rumble if he had would have left. It seems he was really beaten up and frustrated for that time period. Heyman also suggested that he doesn’t see Punk returning anytime soon.

There really hasn’t been much said by Punk about his departure from the WWE other than the fact he considers himself retired from WWE. In the appearances we have seen Punk, he honestly looks better than we have seen him in a long time. It gets to a deeper question of if people are truly fans of CM Punk and care about the person behind the wrestler. In terms of his life he seems very happy and as at peace as he can be. He recently married A.J Lee and her status with the WWE is as up in the air as Punk’s recently. The rumors that she is expecting just don’t seem to be going away.

The two were caught on camera jogging in Hawaii where they were on their honeymoon. Punk seems to be unable to avoid being a favorite of people stalking him with cameras to some extent. As seen above he can't even go for a cup of coffee with his now wife in peace apparently. It is very clear that he likely is one of the most famous wrestlers in the main stream world in the last 10 years without question.

Recently someone chastised fans for still chanting CM Punk at WWE events. I have a huge issue with anyone telling fans what to do not just in wrestling but in any form. In fact, I was on The Wrestling Experience with Josh Lopez based in Chicago where he reads this article and later in the show I give my reaction too it earlier this week. I feel that as long as fans are with in good taste you have the right to do whatever you want. The example from my former world of the NBA and covering the Toronto Raptors was fans booing of Vince Carter. Many of my media colleagues did the same thing chastising fans telling them to move on. This is basically what this wrestling writer said in terms of Punk. He went on to blame the fans for the issues in WWE and how fans should just get with the program. That is not your job, your only job is to pay your hard earned money and be entertained. If you are not entertained what you choose to do is up to you. If in pro sports event fans decide to boo the home side for playing poorly that is their right to do so.

He in the same breath went on offer his own opinion that CM Punk turned his back on the fans. He if not stated out right, it was implied clearly, that Punk did not deserve those chants. Punk did at the end of the day what is best for him, but also prior to leaving made a point to make it clear that not just him but all of the WWE have been left in the dark on how they will be compensated for the WWE Network. That was not a selfish act, in fact it brought to light a serious issue that to my knowledge has yet to be addressed with talent to this day from what we know. It speaks more to what Punk represented to the fans that he was the guy that stood up for them and represented the change that they wanted. Punk will always be a beloved figure to a certain portion of the WWE fan base. Can you think of any other person on this roster who with doing next to nothing to encourage it would still have fans chanting his name on a regular basis nearly 6 months after he left T.V and company? I honestly can’t think of who that person would be off the top of my head.

This same writer went on to again lay the wood to fans who by the way are the people that are supporting this guys coverage of wrestling which he might have wanted to consider. In any case that we as fan base were not fair to John Cena and he sung the praises of Cena and commanded or demanded that we no longer boo him. Again where does this guy get off telling you or me what to do as fans? He also went on to say that if fans did not watch Ring of Honor or New Japan Pro Wrestling they were somehow lesser fans based on this fact. I recently have went out of my way to talk about Ring of Honor and I love their product and would encourage you to give it a try if you haven’t. If you choose not to do so that does not make you any less of a fan of wrestling than I am or this writer is. You just for your own reasons do not like that form of wrestling or entertainment which you are more than entitled to do. I rarely have seen New Japan Wrestling and I am not going to apologize for that fact. Did I enjoy when they teamed with Ring of Honor and did a couple shows together, sure I did. Did that make me go running to watch the next New Japan show... not really. I find personally that commentary is a big part of my wrestling experience and the simple fact that New Japan at this point does not offer English commentary makes it not for me. If you love New Japan and the Bullet Club and watch it all that’s great and enjoy it. I sneak in a Young Bucks match here and there as well, but I am not down for a whole show of having no idea what is being said about it.

I am not here to tell you who to like, or what to watch, or demand that you have the same opinion as me in order to be on my level as a fan or a journalist. I am here to simply take what I know and love about wrestling and share my thoughts and opinions with you. Not to change your opinions but to merely present some things for you to think about or spark you into expressing your own opinion.

That is what makes wrestling fun at the end of the day. C.M Punk above anyone is someone that understood that simple fact, that at the end of the day wrestling fans just want the show to fun. What we all consider to be fun can be as different as what we all would have on a pizza. Still some items on that pizza are easier to build a consensus on than others. Wrestling is never going to please 100 percent of the audience, but the closer you can get to that the better it is likely to be.

As far as CM Punk goes, I am a fan and obviously and quite selfishly would like to see him return at some point. If he doesn’t and never returns I will still respect and love him for all of the great things he has done to entertain me. If he wants to ride off into the sunset with his new bride A.J and be happy away from wrestling who am I to be bitter about that? If I truly am a fan of the person that is Phil Brooks who Punk himself would say I have no idea who that is, I can still want that guy to have a happy life.

If you are one of the people that buys that CM Punk has turned his back on you, I am not going to be able or even try to change your mind. I just can’t agree with you is all and personally would wonder how much you truly love Punk or any wrestler truly for that matter. Still some people don’t think any deeper than what they feel about the character that they see on their T.V screen. Which is part of what wrestling is for everyone a form of escaping from our real lives and for the performers a way to be someone that is someone that is either a turned up version of themselves, or the chance to play someone totally against who they are as people.

The simple fact is as Punk himself said in his famous promo that he understood that WWE is bigger than any one individual and the wheel will keep turning with or without him. Proven by myself who started as Randy Savage fan and moved on to being a Shawn Michaels fan and going on and on to present day. But once you’re a James Borbath guy that is something that lasts for my lifetime. So no writer or the WWE is going to tell me different. That is my right just as it is yours to support whoever you choose too.

In terms of Punk he is always going to be talked about until the true story from both his side and the WWE’s side is told that will remain the case. In terms of wrestling sites the simple fact is people will read opinions on Punk and rumours on him because he truly is one of the most fascinating personalities to roll through wrestling in quite sometime. Punk, be it on screen or off of it is clearly one of the most fascinating people in the business today. Well he is retired but the problem is not even CM Punk can convince wrestling fans that he is truly retired. Wrestling history has been filled with both real and scripted retirements coming to end. Even Shawn Michaels who has made it pretty clear he has no intention to ever wrestle again yet many still think he might have one more match.

If we truly have seen Punk’s last match that is a shame in a way but if it means he will be happy and have a great life and be healthy and happy that should be all that matters for his true fans.

Later tonight come back to the site for the weekly podcast as we have Independent Wrestler Ethan Page page back on the program and Chris Harrrington who is a smart writer that has coined this world he writes about as "wrestlenomics" breaking down wrestling business with numbers and match beyond my mind. All this and Walder is healthy and back so will have out PPV Predictions as well.